Back Again So Soon?
Fresh from my climb of Dix Mountain for my 46, I got a text from
Bryan looking for a hike on Tuesday to Big Slide. If there were any other way I would have stayed down in the peaks on Monday but alas I had meetings to go to so I had to race home to work – lots of extra driving but it would prove enjoyable. The plan had been for 4 of us to head down Tuesday for the hike but
Mike’s sinus cold was getting worse not better so he chose to bail out. Equally, Bryan’s friend from TO decided it was a bit of a long haul to come down mid week for a hike so it was just Bryan and I who jumped in the truck at 5am on Tuesday morning – bad luck for the other two as it was shaping up to be a stellar day. The drive down wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be – I guess the truck knows the way by now - and soon enough we were treated to a stunning sunrise over Tupper Lake which was a must stop for photos. A little further on we again pulled over to shoot some pictures of the morning sun on the MacIntyres from the Loj road. That, coupled with a morning break for some food meant we started from the Garden at the reasonable hour of 9am – how very civilized.
Climbing Big Slide across the Brothers Mountains starts out very steeply, very quickly. This is a rarity in the high peaks that usually have a few miles of relatively flat walking before you start to climb but going up fast means a shorter time to the views. Sure enough we were soon on the ledges of the First Brother and looking up the John’s Brook valley in all her finest fall glory. Didn’t seem to matter which way we looked, burning colours abound in all directions. Many more photos were taken along the first two Brothers, as there are many opportunities to take in the views. Sadly I had loaded my camera with the “small” memory card and would have to ration myself to no more than 200 pictures… time for some more memory cards I think ;-) .
After loading up our cameras with shots of the fall splendour we made our way up over the 3rd Brother and on to Big Slide itself. As you ascend the final summit there is an excellent ledge to sit by the Slide and take in the views. It’s a precarious spot and not one for those without a head for heights as the drop off is dramatic but it’s a nice spot to rest before the final push to the summit. Once up top we found the summit unoccupied! We took it in stride though and expected big crowds to arrive at any minute – especially after our experience on Phelps – but no one came for some time. The sun had gained strength and we sat and baked for a bit while enjoying lunch and taking some pics. Bryan kept asking if we were falling behind schedule… but I have no more schedules (I’m done!) so I was quite content to sit in the sun.
Eventually two guys came up to the summit block. A curious pair they asked if this trail went to Marcy? And if so was the waterfall nearby? Clearly they had taken the wrong route and I found it amusing that they would climb without a map and no real sense of where they were. I took some time to show them the error of their hike and that they had climbed the wrong mountain. I also gave them some direction on the best way back to their car… for they clearly were not equipped or ready to hike another 10 miles to Marcy AND get back before nightfall. After that we left them on the summit and headed along the ridge to Yard Mountain (just shy of a 4000 footer). The walk was quite pleasant but the views were not quite as spectacular so we headed down into the Klondike Notch and along the trail to the Johns’ Brook Lodge. After a break on the deck of the Lodge we took the Phelps trail down the valley to the car to end a great day in the high peaks. As we were packing up, our friends from the summit of Big Slide stumbled out of the woods. They had taken the wrong trail
again taking a longer more arduous route out... but at least they were now out of the woods.
After cleaning up a bit (and quaffing the post hike beer) we rolled down to Keene Valley and got a table at the Ausable Inn for a bite of food and a chance to relax a bit before the long drive home. Inside the restaurant the innkeeper was just starting a fire in the fireplace and the evenings guests were starting to arrive. We got our order in and then had a chance to chat to
Robert Selkowitz who sat down beside us. He's a New York artist who had been capturing the fall colours with his pastels up on Whiteface. While living in the Catskills, it turns out he summers in Cape Breton – just up the road from Elizabeth May no less – so we caught him up on the fall election campaign and how Elizabeth had done in the debates. We also compared artistic notes (although we use a different media) before our respective food orders were delivered. To be honest, after dinner was consumed it was pretty tempting to order up a room at the Inn and hit the sack but with work once again calling we fired up the truck and made the drive home. Another great opportunity to hike in the peaks… and when the colours bloom there is no putting it off until tomorrow.
John's Brook Valley and the Great Range
Fresh from my climb of Dix Mountain for my 46, I got a text from Bryan looking for a hike on Tuesday to Big Slide. If there were any other way I would have stayed down in the peaks on Monday but alas I had meetings to go to so I had to race home to work – lots of extra driving but it would prove enjoyable. The plan had been for 4 of us to head down Tuesday for the hike but Mike’s sinus cold was getting worse not better so he chose to bail out. Equally, Bryan’s friend from TO decided it was a bit of a long haul to come down mid week for a hike so it was just Bryan and I who jumped in the truck at 5am on Tuesday morning – bad luck for the other two as it was shaping up to be a stellar day. The drive down wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be – I guess the truck knows the way by now - and soon enough we were treated to a stunning sunrise over Tupper Lake which was a must stop for photos. A little further on we again pulled over to shoot some pictures of the morning sun on the MacIntyres from the Loj road. That, coupled with a morning break for some food meant we started from the Garden at the reasonable hour of 9am – how very civilized.
Climbing Big Slide across the Brothers Mountains starts out very steeply, very quickly. This is a rarity in the high peaks that usually have a few miles of relatively flat walking before you start to climb but going up fast means a shorter time to the views. Sure enough we were soon on the ledges of the First Brother and looking up the John’s Brook valley in all her finest fall glory. Didn’t seem to matter which way we looked, burning colours abound in all directions. Many more photos were taken along the first two Brothers, as there are many opportunities to take in the views. Sadly I had loaded my camera with the “small” memory card and would have to ration myself to no more than 200 pictures… time for some more memory cards I think ;-) .
After loading up our cameras with shots of the fall splendour we made our way up over the 3rd Brother and on to Big Slide itself. As you ascend the final summit there is an excellent ledge to sit by the Slide and take in the views. It’s a precarious spot and not one for those without a head for heights as the drop off is dramatic but it’s a nice spot to rest before the final push to the summit. Once up top we found the summit unoccupied! We took it in stride though and expected big crowds to arrive at any minute – especially after our experience on Phelps – but no one came for some time. The sun had gained strength and we sat and baked for a bit while enjoying lunch and taking some pics. Bryan kept asking if we were falling behind schedule… but I have no more schedules (I’m done!) so I was quite content to sit in the sun. 
Eventually two guys came up to the summit block. A curious pair they asked if this trail went to Marcy? And if so was the waterfall nearby? Clearly they had taken the wrong route and I found it amusing that they would climb without a map and no real sense of where they were. I took some time to show them the error of their hike and that they had climbed the wrong mountain. I also gave them some direction on the best way back to their car… for they clearly were not equipped or ready to hike another 10 miles to Marcy AND get back before nightfall. After that we left them on the summit and headed along the ridge to Yard Mountain (just shy of a 4000 footer). The walk was quite pleasant but the views were not quite as spectacular so we headed down into the Klondike Notch and along the trail to the Johns’ Brook Lodge. After a break on the deck of the Lodge we took the Phelps trail down the valley to the car to end a great day in the high peaks. As we were packing up, our friends from the summit of Big Slide stumbled out of the woods. They had taken the wrong trail again taking a longer more arduous route out... but at least they were now out of the woods.
After cleaning up a bit (and quaffing the post hike beer) we rolled down to Keene Valley and got a table at the Ausable Inn for a bite of food and a chance to relax a bit before the long drive home. Inside the restaurant the innkeeper was just starting a fire in the fireplace and the evenings guests were starting to arrive. We got our order in and then had a chance to chat to Robert Selkowitz who sat down beside us. He's a New York artist who had been capturing the fall colours with his pastels up on Whiteface. While living in the Catskills, it turns out he summers in Cape Breton – just up the road from Elizabeth May no less – so we caught him up on the fall election campaign and how Elizabeth had done in the debates. We also compared artistic notes (although we use a different media) before our respective food orders were delivered. To be honest, after dinner was consumed it was pretty tempting to order up a room at the Inn and hit the sack but with work once again calling we fired up the truck and made the drive home. Another great opportunity to hike in the peaks… and when the colours bloom there is no putting it off until tomorrow.
3 comments:
I'm feeling better now, lets go tomorrow
"...no putting it off until tomorrow" Well put. This is exactly true. When the sun is shining AND the leaves are at their peak you just have to drop everything and immerse yourself in the outdoors.
Time well spent.
interesting report and photos. good thing those "lost" hikers ran into you. and wow, you got right back out there after finishing the 46. love this time of year. AND..big slide is definitely one i would do again!
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